Envelope boxing method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BOXING ENVELOPES COMPRISING, IN PREFERRED FORM, THE STEPS OF AND THE MEANS FOR (A) SEPARATING A PRESELECTED NUMBER OF ENVELOPES INTO A GROUP, (B) POSITIONING A BOX IN INVERTED POSITION ABOVE THAT GROUP OF ENVELOPES, (C) JOINING THE BOX AND THE ENVELOPE GROUP TOGETHER TO LOCATE THE ENVELOPES INSIDE THE BOX, AND (D) TURNING THE BOX OVER, WITH THE ENVELOPES RETAINED IN IT, INTO AN UPRIGHT OF CARRYING POSITION.

J. A. MULLINS I ENVELOPE BCXING METHOD AND APPARATUS Feb. 9, 1971 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 9. 1968 INVEBATOR.

Feb. 9,1971 J. A. MULLINS 3,562,775

ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2a z-Q 1971 J. A. MULLINS ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 9, 1968 INVENTOR. aw

Zia/0% MQZ iff/f/EXI Feb. 9,' 1971 Filed May 9, 1968 J. A. MULLINS3,562,775

ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets- Sheet 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Feb. 9, 1971 J. A. MULLINS ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD AND APPARATUS FiledMay 9, 1968 United States Patent ()1 Eco 3,562,775 Patented Feb. 9, 19713,562,775 ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD AND APPARATUS James A. Mullins,Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crown EnvelopeCorp., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed May 9, 1968, Ser.No. 727,942 Int. Cl. B65b 35/30, 57/20 US. Cl. 5326 13 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for boxing envelopescomprising, in preferred form, the steps of and the means for (a)separating a preselected number of envelopes into a group; (b)positioning a box in inverted position above that group of envelopes;(c) joining the box and the envelope group together to locate theenvelopes inside the box; and (d) turning the box over, with theenvelopes retained in it, into an upright or carrying position.

This invention relates to envelope forming machines. More particularlythis invention relates to a method and apparatus for boxing envelopesformed by envelope forming machines.

An envelope forming machine, as the term is generally used in the art,refers to a machine that produces a completely formed envelope from aprecut envelope blank. The method steps an envelope forming machine mustperform to achieve such a result typically include (a) withdrawing asingle precut blank from a stacked supply of blanks; (b) placing thatblank in either overlapped or spaced relation relative to the blankimmediately preceeding it; (c) applying glue to the seal or top flap ofthe blank; ((1) immediately thereafter drying the glue on the seal flap;(e) scoring the precut blank for folding purposes; (f) applying glue tothe side and/or bottom flaps of the blank; (g) folding the side andbottom flaps into a final configuration and into sealing relation beforethe glue on those flaps dries; (h) folding the seal flap to establishthe final envelope configuration for the envelope; and (i) positioningthe formed envelopes in stacked relation on a suitable delivery table.Needless to say, the forming machinery required for carrying out thesevarious method steps is quite complex in nature. However, envelopeforming machines, as such, have been known and widely used in theenvelope industry for many, many years.

In the economic environment of today not only must an envelope formingmachine be able to provide a finished envelope, but it must do so at anoutput rate that permits the manufacturer to achieve relatively low perunit envelope production cost. Such a result is required because of thehigh competitive nature of the envelope industry and the relatively lowper unit retail cost of envelopes. Thus, it has been necessary in recentyears for envelope forming machines to be engineered that produceenvelopes at increasingly faster rates, that is, that produce more andmore envelopes in a given unit of time on a single machine. For example,it is not uncommon to expect an envelope forming machine to produceabout 400 envelopes per minute and even more. Such relatively high-speedproduction of envelopes can be achieved by the envelope forming machinesof today because of the relative sophistication of those machinesdeveloped over many, many years.

As mentioned, known envelope forming machines commence operation 'with aprecut envelope blank and then perform various method steps on thatblank until an envelope in final envelope configuration is formed. Forthe purpose of this application the phrases completely formed envelope,final envelope configuration, and similar phrases refer to an envelopewith all flaps except the seal flap folded and glued together. The sealflap, that is, the top flap, is preferably folded but is not glued sothat the envelope may be readily used by a consumer. In the case of openside type envelopes, for example, these envelopes are generally conveyedonto a delivery table from the envelope forming machine in horizontalstacked relation relative one to the other. As subsequent envelopes aremoved onto the delivery table the prior envelopes are pushed downstreamon the table farther away from the delivery apparatus. Thus, thecontinual transfer of the horizontally stacked envelopes onto thedelivery table forms a train of stacked envelopes on the delivery tableand moves the train down the delivery table to a take-off area.

Historically, envelopes have been removed from the delivery table by anoperator attending the envelope forming machine. The operator mustremove a predetermined number of envelopes in a group and place thatgroup in a box provided so as to provide efiicient boxing and deliveryof the envelopes to the customers. Generally speaking, it is because ofthe necessity for providing an operator to remove the formed envelopesfrom the delivery table that one envelope forming machine requires the-full time and attention of one operator. The only other jobs that theoperator must perform while attending the machine is to maintain asupply of precut envelope blanks in the blank magazine, and make certainthat the glue pot remains full and in operable condition as the machineperforms its tasks. However, by far the greatest portion of theoperators job time is required to remove envelopes that are fully formedand dispensed by the envelope forming machine.

Therefore, in an attempt to lower the cost attendant to the forming ofan envelope from a precut envelope blank, it has been one objective ofthis invention to provide an envelope boxing method for mechanicallyboxing a group of envelopes without the continual attention of anoperator being required.

It has been another objective of this invention to provide apparatus forperforming the method wherein the only attention required of an operatoris that the apparatuss box supply be maintained at an operable capacity.

In accordance with these objectives, I have provided a method for boxingenvelopes comprising, in preferred form, the steps of (a) separating apreselected number of envelopes into a group; (b) positioning a box ininverted position above that group of envelopes; (c) joining the box andthe envelope group together to locate the envelopes inside the box; and(d) turning the box over, with the envelopes retained in it, into anupright or carrying position. Apparatus has also been provided by thisinvention to carry out these desirable method steps and this apparatuswill be more completely and fully described in the following detaileddescription. The method and apparatus of this invention permit theeffective boxing of envelopes as they are made and delivered by anenvelope forming machine with no attention from an operator beingrequired except to maintain a supply of boxes for the apparatus.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the envelope boxing unit of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a front end view of the boxing unit illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 3

3 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram illustrating the pneumatic circuit used inoperating the boxing unit; and

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram illustrating the electrical circuit used incontrolling the pneumatic circuit.

ENVELOPE BOXING METHOD The envelope boxing method of this invention isbest described in conjunction with the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. As theenvelopes 10 are conveyed by a transfer wheel 11 from an envelopeforming machine, not shown, onto a pair of delivery belts 12, they arefirst counted by counting means 13 and thereby divided into groups 14 ofany desired number. The envelopes 10 are established in a horizontallystacked relation to form a train of envelopes, and the groups 14 thatmake up the train are divided one from the other by envelope ends 15that periodically protrude out from that train. The envelope groups 14are subsequently transferred to the boxing station 17 by the slow movingdelivery belts 12 where the leading envelope abuts against a movablebackup plate 18.

A supply of preformed boxes 19 is provided in a magazine 20 in invertedposition, that is, the open top of the box is positioned face down inthe magazine. The boxes 19 move to the bottom of the magazine 20 bygravity. Once at the bottom of the magazine stack each box is removedfrom the bottom of the magazine 20 and moved toward the boxing station17 on opposed channel tracks 21 by two timing belts 22. When a box 19reaches the boxing station 17 it abuts a stop bar 23 which preventsfurther forward movement of the box and positions it, upside down, inthe boxing station.

At the boxing station a single group 14 of the envelopes 10 is isolatedout from the envelope train of horizontally stacked envelopes awaitingto be boxed. Isolation of that group 14 is accomplished by means of aseparator blade 26 in cooperation with the backup plate 18. Thus, agroup 14 of envelopes is provided within the boxing station 17 and thegroup is positioned in that station on a lower level between separatorblade 26 and backup plate 18. At this point the upside down box 19 inthe station 17 is positioned on an upper level above the envelope group14.

Once the box 19 is positioned over the isolated group 14 of envelopes,and once that group is separated from the rest of the envelope train,the box is moved down over the group of envelopes so that thoseenvelopes are positioned or located within the box.

The envelope group 14 is now positioned inside the box 19 within theboxing station 17, however, the box bottom 27 covers the top of theenvelopes so that the envelopes 10 are retained in the box only becausethe envelopes and box are resting on the table 28 of the boxing station.If the box 19 and envelopes 10 were lifted off the base plate 28 all theenvelopes, of course, would fall out of the box. As a result, the box 19and envelopes 10 must be turned over so the box is right side up and inthe carrying position. Preferably, the box 19 and envelopes 10 withinthe boxing station 17 is pushed out of the station and, as it is pushedout, the box is flipped over onto its bottom 27 so it is right side up.This step is ac complished by pushing the envelope full box 19 over anedge or drop-ofl 29 toward a chute 30 whence it commences to flip. Asthe boxs leading upper edge 32 slides on the chute 30 it engages a flipbar 31 that causes it to pivot or flip a full 180 so the box lands onits botton 27 toward the base of the chute and slides onto a takeoffconveyor 33, see phantom lines of FIG. 1. The conveyor 33 moves the box19 of envelopes 10 to suitable storage or other packaging facilities.

Thus, the preferred overall method of boxing envelopes according to theprinciples of this invention, and the general mode of operation for theboxing apparatus of this invention, includes, in detail, the steps of(a) transferring the envelopes from an envelope forming machine, not

completely shown, onto delivery means 12 in horizontal stacked relationso as to form a train of stacked envelopes; (b) periodically nudging oneof the envelopes 10 out of the trains general configuration forestablishing groups 14 of envelopes having equal numbers of envelopes ineach group; (c) providing a supply of preferably preformed boxes 19 inan upside down or inverted position; (d) transferring the boxes 19 to aboxing station 17; (e) moving or driving the box in the stationdownwardly over the group of envelopes in the station to enclose orlocate those envelopes in the box; (g) removing the boxed envelopes fromthe boxing station in a manner so that the box is flipped into a rightside up position, and (h) conveying those boxed groups of envelopes awayfrom the boxing station to other packaging means or storage.

ENVELOPE BOXING APPARATUS Envelope transfer and counting mechanism Theenvelope boxing apparatus is positioned at the downstream or outlet endof the envelope forming machine, not completely shown. Envelopes 10 areconveyed from the envelope forming machine to a pair of delivery belts12 in horizontal stacked relationship by a finger transfer wheel 11associated with, for example, the seal flap folder mechanism, not shown,of the envelope forming machine. The two driven belts 12 extend betweenthe finger transfer wheel 11 and the boxing station 17 of the envelopeboxing apparatus. As the envelopes 10 are deposited on the deliverybelts 12 from the transfer wheel 11 they are slowly moved away from thewheel by the continuously moving belts that move at a relatively slowpace, thereby establishing the envelopes in horizontal stacked relation.Thus, through the continuously moving belts 12, the envelopes 10 aredelivered to the boxing station 17.

Counting means 13 is provided to cooperate with the outlet end of theenvelope forming machine to establish or divide the envelopes 10 intogroups 14 once they have been conveyed to the delivery belts 12. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the counting means includes a ratchet wheel 37having a number of teeth 38 about its periphery equal to the number ofenvelopes desired for a given group 14. For example, if it is desired topackage 500 envelopes in a box 19, a ratchet wheel having 500 teeth willbe used. Cooperating with the ratchet wheel 37 is a pawl 39 continuallybiased by a spring 40 toward the periphery of the ratchet wheel. Thepawl 39 is eccentrically connected through pawl arm 41 to an eccentricwheel 42 driven in timed relation to the transfer wheel 11 by theenvelope forming machine. The timed relation is such that the eccentricwheel 42 makes a complete revolution for each formed envelope 10deposited on the delivery belts 12. For every complete revolution of theeccentric wheel 42, the pawl 39 engages another tooth 38 on the ratchetwheel 37, thus causing the wheel 37 to rotate in the counterclockwisedirection a distance equal to the peripheral length of one tooth 38. Asthe ratchet wheel 37 rotates a counter arm 43 fixedly mounted throughhub 44 to the ratchet wheel is also caused to rotate in thecounterclockwise direction. When the counter arm 43 reaches the twelveoclock position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, it engages the flared tip 45of transfer arm 46 pivotally mounted by shaft 47. This causes thetransfer arm 46 to pivot in the clockwise direction, thereby urgingfinger 43 into the train of horizontal stacked envelopes. The finger 48is dimensioned widthwise so that it engages only one envelope and pushesthe end 15 of that envelope out a short distance from the generalrectangular configuration of the envelope train, see FIG. 1. If, assuggested, the ratchet wheel 37 has 500 ratchet teeth 38 on it, thefinger 48 will be actuated to engage every 500th envelope, therebydividing the train of horizontal stacked envelopes into groups 14 of 500envelopes a piece.

Box supply and transfer mechanism The supply of boxes 19 is maintainedin a magazine 20. The travel path of boxes 19 from the magazine to theboxing station 17 is substantially perpendicular to the travel path ofthe train of stacked envelopes from the discharge end of an envelopeforming machine to the boxing station, the box travel path being in ahorizontal plane above the horizontal Plane of the envelope train travelpath. The magazine 20 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises four angle bars 51vertically positioned relative to the box 19 travel path, the bars 51being positioned to receive and maintain the boxes 19 in verticalstacked relation. The boxes 19 are supplied to the magazine 20 by anoperator in the upside down position, that is, with their open topfacing downwardly. The boxes 19 shown for purposes of illustration havea bottom 27 and four side walls 52, hence, the bottom 27 is shown facingup in FIG. 1 as the boxes are withdrawn from beneath the magazinesstack.

As the boxes 19 drop down to the bottom of the magazine 20, thebottommost box in the stack engages a pair of timing belts 22 that arecontinuously moving at a relatively slow speed, by means not shown, todirect the boxes toward the boxing station 17. The timing belts 22extend from underneath the magazine to within about two box lengths ofthe boxing station 17. Each timing belt 22 is provided with relativelyshallow V notches 53 so that the leading and trailing side walls of abox 19 are grabbed by the belts to remove that box out from underneatththe stack of boxes remaining in the magazine 20.

The magazine 20 and timing belts 22 are positioned relative to two guidechannels or channel tracks 21 that are separated one from the other by adistance substantially equal to the Width of a box 19. Opposed sidewalls of each box 19 thus rest on and travel over the lower ledge 54 ofeach channel, thereby providing vertical support for the boxes as theyare moved to the boxing station 17.

Once the boxes 19 leave the timing belts 22, they abut one against theother so that further movement of the boxes toward and into the boxingstation is provided by subsequent boxes pushing on those boxes ahead ofthem; thereby pushing those boxes one at a time into the boxing station17.

Boxing station mechanism The boxing station 17 includes apparatus forpositioning and isolating the box 19 and envelop group 14 within thestation so that the box can be placed over the envelopes and thenengaged with the group. The station 17 also includes apparatus forflipping the packaged box of envelopes into its right side up position.

The envelope separating and group positioning mechanism includes theseparator blade 26 provided with a tapered leading end 59 and a slopingupper edge 60, the blade being integral with an abutment plate 61. Theabutment plate 61 is mounted to the piston rod 62 of pneumatic cylinderPC-l, the pneumatic cylinder PC-l being mounted to an extension 63 ofthe table 28. It will be noted that the sloping upper edge 60 is on thedownstream side of the separator blade 26 and that the abutment plate 61extends upstream a substantial distance from the joinder of the plate 61and the blade 26. The function of the separator blade 26 is to projectinto the train of horizontally stacked envelopes for separating fromthat train a group of those envelopes to be boxed. The blade 26 isinserted into the envelope train when limit switch LS-l is closed byengagement of a protruding envelope end 15 with a leg 64 connected tothat limit switch. The limit switch LS-l is normally open because spring65 continually biases leg 64 so that it remains open, but when anenvelope end 15 engages the leg 64 the leg is pivoted away from theswitch LS-1 thereby closing it and actuating the cylinder PC-1 to pushthe separator blade 26 into the train. The separator blade 26 isinjected into the envelope train at a position downstream from theextended envelope end 15 and, as the blade goes into the 6 train, theabutment plate 61 at the rear end of the blade engages the extendedenvelope end and pushes that envelope back into the normal trainconfiguration with the rest of the envelopes. This permits that envelopeto pass the tip of the separator blade 26 during the next boxing cycle.

When an envelope group 14 is within the boxing sta tion 17, theenvelopes are positioned between the separator blade 26 and the backupplate 18 that is reciprocably mounted relative to the travel path ofenvelope train. The backup plate 18 is mounted to a T-bar 68 that ismovably supported on two rails 69, a trackway 70 being provided in thetable 28 so the T-bar and, hence, the backup plate 18, can reciprocateback and forth in the same travel path that the envelope train follows.A weight 71 is connected to the T-bar 68 by a cable 72. The cable 72 isthreaded over a pulley 73 connected to the underside of the table 28upstream from the boxing station 17. Thus, the backup plate 18 isconstantly urged in the upstream direction that is in the oppositedirection to that movement direction of the envelope train, because theweight 71 is continuously and evenly pulling the backup plate in thatdirection. As a box of envelopes is removed from the boxing station 17,the backup plate 18 travels upstream to meet the first envelope of thenext envelope group 14 that will be boxed, and as that envelope group ismoved into the boxing station by the delivery belts 12, the backup plateis pushed back into its boxing position illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus,when in the boxing station 17, the group 14 of envelopes is positionedbetween the separator blade 26 and the backup plate 18, and that groupof envelopes rests on the table 28.

As mentioned, the box 19 in the boxing station 17 abuts up against thestop bar 23 to center it in the station and prevent it from being pushedout of that station by subsequent boxes being pushed toward the station.When in the boxing station 17, the opposite box edges rest on pivotableledge sections 76 for supporting the boxes above the envelope groupresting on the table 28 below. As shown, the ledge sections 76 areformed by merely cutting them out of the channel tracks 21 as thosetracks extend through the station 17 to the stop bar 23. As best seen inFIGS. 3 and 4, the ledge sections 76 are each rotatably mounted to apivot bar 77. Each pivot bar 77 is mounted to supports 78 by tongues 79.Each ledge section 76 is connected to one end of an ear 80 at each endof the section 76 and the section 76 is rotatably mounted to the bar 77intermediate each car 80. The other end of the two ears 80 for eachsection 76 are related by a connector bar 81. A piston rod 82 of apneumatic cylinder PC-2 is connected to each connector bar 81intermediate its length, thereby providing the power means through whichthe linkage means 77-81 causes the ledge sections 76 to pivot into andout of alignment with fixed ledges 54 of channel tracks 21. Thepneumatic cylinders PC-2 are themselves pivotally mounted, as at 83A, tosuitable support structure 83. Identical ledge sections 76, linkagemeans 77-81, and power means structures are on each of the opposing boxsides for the box 19 in the boxing station 17. When the pneumaticcylinders PC2 are actuated, the cylinder rods 82 move upwardly, see FIG.3, to pivot the ledge sections 76 within the boxing station 17 out fromunderneath the opposed sides of the box, thereby permitting the box tobe moved downwardly into cartoning engagement with that envelope group14 within the station.

To aid in moving the boxes down over the envelope group within theboxing station 17 there is provided a boxing plate 84 having a surfacearea substantially equal to the bottom 27 surface area of the box so thebox will not be deformed as it is pushed downwardly into engagement withthe envelopes. The trailing end of the boxing plate 84 carries a fin 85to stop upstream boxes from moving forward into the boxing station 17when the boxing plate 84 is pushing the box down over the envelope group14. The boxing plate 84 is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder PC3connected to the plate 84 by a piston rod 86. The cylinder PC-3 issupported by a bridge 87 positioned over the boxes and mounted tosupports 78. The bridge 87 provides a hole 88 through which a guide rod89 passes, the rod being mounted to the boxing plate 84. Thus, the guiderod 89 in combination with the cylinder PC3 aids in maintaining theboxing plate 84 in alignment during its reciprocal movement. Another rod91 carries a thumb block 90 positioned on that rod so that when theplate 84 is at its lowermost attitude the block 90 can actuate limitswitch LS3 mounted to the top of the bridge 87.

Once the box 19 is positioned down over the envelope group 14 inconfining engagement, and once the boxing plate 84 has returned to itsuppermost position, a kick plate 94 is moved into engagement with theboxed envelopes by pneumatic cylinder PC-4 to push the box of envelopesoff the table 28. The cylinder PC-4 is mounted to the table 28 and isconnected to kick plate 94 by piston rod 95. The kick plate 94 has fins96 mounted to both sides of it, the fins extending rearwardly of thekick plate. The kick plates fins 96 cooperate with the backup plate 18and the separator blade 26 to prevent the backup plate from moving backupstream once the box of envelopes has been pushed out of the boxingstation 17 until the kick plate 94 has returned to its originalposition. One fin 96 of the kick plate carries an extension finger 97with a thumb plate 98 at the end for actuating a limit switch LS-4 whenthe kick plate 94 reaches its extended position.

As the pneumatic cylinder PC-4 is actuated, and as the kick plate 94 ismoved forward, the box of envelopes is pushed ofl the table 28 andstarts to fall or drop over edge 29 of that table onto the chute 30 fordelivering the boxed envelopes to the take-off conveyor 33, see phantomlines of FIG. 1. Intermediate the length of the chute 30 there isprovided the flip bar 31 that is adapted to engage the leading upperedge 32 of the box as it falls over the table 29 edge. The flip bar 31is adjustable relative to the length of the chute 30 by means of slots101 and adjusting bolts 102, see FIG. 5, to enable correct positioningof the bar 31 for maximum efiectiveness. Upon engaging the flip bar 31the box is flipped over on its bottom 27 onto the take-oft" conveyor 33,thereby providing the box of envelopes in the upright position. Thus,the difference in height between the table 28 surface and the take-otfconveyor 33, in combination with the distance between the table 28surface and the flip bar 31 position, is such that as the box ofenvelopes falls over the edge 29 of the table it engages the flip barand is thereby flipped over onto its bottom or upright position suitablefor further handling. That is, the bottom 27 of the box is nowpositioned at the bottom of the envelope group so that the envelopescannot fall out of the box 19 when the box is picked up.

OPERATIONAL SEQUENCE WITH ELECTRICAL AND PNEUMATIC CIRCUITS The overalloperation of the envelope boxing apparatus of this invention iscontrolled by electrical and pneumatic circuits illustarted moreparticularly in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The counter mechanism 13 (which determines the size of the groups 14 ofenvelopes) comprises means 37-48 driven by the envelope forming machine,not shown, and has been explained above. It is the counter mechanism 13that periodically ejects an envelope end from the train of horizontalstacked envelopes, that periodic envelope ejectment being, for example,every 500 envelopes, thereby dividing the train into groups 14 ofenvelopes.

As the train of envelopes are moved downstream by the constantly butrelatively slow moving delivery belts 12, the edge of an ejectedenvelope 15 engages leg 64 which actuates limit switch LS1. Closing oflimit switch LS1 actuates solenoid A to admit air from a compressed airsource 183 and filter 104 into one end of double acting pneumaticcylinder PC-1. Cylinder PC-l causes the separator blade 26 to insertinto the train of envelopes, thereby isolating and segregating a groupof envelopes from the train to be packed. The group 14 to be boxed isalready within the boxing station when the separator blade 26 isactuated by cylinder PC1. As the separator blade 26 moves into andthrough the train of envelopes, the abutment plate 61 of the bladeengages the projecting end 15 of that envelope which tripped the leg 64to close the limit switch LS1 and pushes that envelope back into thetrain of stacked envelopes so that it is flush with the rest of theenvelopes in the train. In the next boxing cycle, that envelope willpass the tip of the separator blade 26 without hanging up so the leg 64can be once again tripped by the next upstream envelope end 15.

As the abutment plate 61 proceeds toward the sides of the envelopetrain, it also trips and closes limit switch LS-Z which actuatessolenoid E to admit air simultaneously into one end of double actingpneumatic cylinders PC2, PC-Z and PC3. Thus, the cylinders PC-2, PC2pivot the ledge sections 76 Within the boxing station 17 out of the wayas the boxing plate 84 is pushed down. Hence, the box 19 within theboxing station is pushed down into cartoning engagement with the group14 of envelopes within the station, thereby joining the envelopes andcarton together to locate the envelopes within the box. The slopingedges 60, 105 on the separator blade 26 and backup plate 18 respectivelycam opposed sides of the box down over the end envelopes in the group sothe box does not hang up on the envelopes. This sequence is, of course,timed such that the ledge sections 76 are pivoted out of the way beforethe boxing plate 84 engages the box 19 to push it down over this groupof envelopes.

When the boxing plate 84 has been pushed downwardly to its lowermostposition so the envelopes are located within the box confines, the thumbblock on the guide rod 91 engages limit switch LS3 which opens solenoidvalves C and F simultaneously. When solenoid valve F is opened solenoidE is closed so that compressed air is transferred to the other side ofthe double acting pneumatic cylinders PC2, PC-2 and PC-3. This causescylinders PC-3 to retract the boxing plate 84 to its original position,and to pivot the ledge sections 76 back into alignment with the ledges54 of the channel tracks 21. When solenoid C is opened compressed air isadmitted to pneumatic cylinder PC-4 which forces kick plate 94 againstthe now boxed envelopes within the boxing station 17, this stepoccurring simultaneously with the retracting of boxing plate 84 andrepositioning of ledge sections 76. Kick plate 94 pushes the boxedenvelopes, in a direction transverse to the travel path of the envelopetrain and parallel to the travel path of the empty boxes 19, over theedge 29 of the table 28 so that the now full box drops toward the chute30 where the leading edge 32 of that box engages the flip bar 31. Themotion of the box generated by its being pushed over the table edge 29,and the leading edge 32 of the box engaging the flip bar 31, serves toflip the box so that it is positioned in its normal right side upposition on a take-off conveyor 33 adjacent the bottom of the chute 30.When the kick plate 94 reaches its extended position, the thumb 98connected to the extension finger 97 engages limit switch LS-4 which,through solenoid D, redirects the compressed air to the other side ofpneumatic cylinder PC-4 to retract the kick plate 94 into its originalposition. The group 14 of envelopes positioned within the boxing station17, and the box originally positioned above it, have now been joined orcombined and removed from the station.

In commencing another boxing cycle, a subsequent box is automaticallymoved into the station 17 by the force exerted on it from boxes upstreambeing urged toward the station by the timing belts 22.

A new group 14 of envelopes is positioned within the boxing station,once the boxed group has been pushed out of the station by kick plate 94and the kick plate returned to its original position, by drawing thebackup plate 18 toward the leading envelope now in the envelope train,the backup plate 18 being pulled in that direction by the weight 71passing over the pulley 73. As the backup plate 18 reaches the separatorblade 26 it engages a limit switch LS- positioned underneath thedelivery table. Closing of limit switch LS-S actuates solenoid B which,in turn, redirects the flow of compressed air to the other end of thecylinder PC-l so that the separator blade is drawn out of the envelopetrain travel path. Subsequently, because the envelopes are continuouslyurged along their travel path by the delivery belts 12, the envelopesabut against the backup plate 18 and push it back toward its boxingstation 17 position as illustrated in FIG. 1 until the separator blade26 is again injected into the envelope train by an edge of a downstreamenvelope engaging leg 64, thereby starting the cycle all over again.

It will be completely apparent that the envelope boxing apparatus andmethod of this invention substantially eliminates the requirement for anoperators presence to place envelopes so formed by an envelope formingmachine into suitable boxes. The only duty now required of an operatoris that the magazine 20 must be maintained with a sufficient supply ofboxes 19 so that a continuous supply of boxes is available at the boxingstation 17 for boxing the continuous supply of envelopes 10 formed bythe envelope forming machine.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention incomplete detail it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvariations and modifications may be established in the method of boxingenvelopes and the apparatus for boxing envelopes as described in thisapplication without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

Accordingly, having fully disclosed the preferred embodiments of myinvention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanical method for boxing envelopes comprising the steps ofproviding a train of envelopes, said train having a multiplicity ofenvelopes disposed on edge in stacked relation,

partially ejecting an envelope from said train periodically to establishsuccessive groups of envelopes from said train, each group having apreselected number of envelopes,

isolating the groups one at a time from the train in succession inresponse to sensing of the projecting envelope edges,

positioning a box in inverted position above each of said groups as eachgroup is isolated from said train, joining each box and each grouptogether to locate each group of envelopes within a box.

2. A mechanical method as set forth in claim 1 including the step ofcounting the envelopes in said train as they are received from a supplyto establish the preselected number of envelopes in each group, saidenvelopes being partially ejected from said train in response to thecounting of said envelopes.

3. A mechanical method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps ofpushing the envelope filled box transversely of said train over a ledge,and

engaging said filled box with flip means during its fall to turn saidbox into an upright position.

4. Apparatus for boxing envelopes comprising 1O first support means forsupporting a group of envelopes on edge in stacked relation at a boxingstation, first delivery means associated with said first support meansfor delivering a train of envelopes from an envelope supply to saidboxing station, said train ending at said boxing station, counting meanspositioned to cooperate with said train for indicating successive groupsof envelopes in said train that are of substantially equal size, eachgroup having a preselected number of envelopes, and

a separator blade at said boxing station mounted to reciprocate into andout of said envelope train in response to said counting means forisolating said groups within said boxing station one at a time from saidtrain, each of said groups of envelopes being boxed in succession atsaid boxing station and thereafter removed to permit isolation of asubsequent group for boxing.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said counting meansincludes means for numerically counting successive envelopes in saidtrain as the envelopes pass a fixed location, and

a finger sequentially engageable with selected envelopes of said trainto eject those envelopes partially out of the trains travel path eachtime said numerical counting means senses the passage of a preselectednumber of envelopes.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including a sensing fingerengageable with the protruding edge of those envelopes pushed partiallyfrom said train to sense the passage thereof, said separator blade beingreciprocated into said train to isolate a group therefrom in response tothe engagement of said sensing finger with each protruding envelopeedge.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including a backup platereciprocably movable within said boxing station on a travel pathsubstantially parallel with the travel path of said train, said backupplate being continuously urged in a direction counter to the traveldirection of said train and being adapted to cooperate with saidseparator blade to confine each group of envelopes within said boxingstation.

-8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the upper edges of saidseparator blade and backup plate are beveled to act as carnming surfacesfor guiding a box over each group of envelopes within said boxingstation.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said first delivery meansincludes a delivery belt on which said train is positioned for movementto said boxing station, said delivery belt being disposed between saidboxing station and the take-off end of an envelope forming machine. 10.Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 including a kick plate reciprocablymovable into and out of said boxing station for pushing each filled boxfrom said boxing station, said kick plate being movable in a directiontransverse to the travel direction of said train. 11. Apparatus forboxing envelopes as set forth in claim 10 including turning meansassociated with said boxing station for turning said box over to anupright position with the envelopes retained inside, said turning meanshaving drop-off structure associated with the boxing station over whicheach filled box is pushed by said kick plate, and flip means positionedbelow the drop-off structure, the filled box starting to turn as it ispushed over the drop-off structure and being completely flipped by theflip means into an upright postion and,

conveyor means positioned below the flip means for receiving the uprightbox.

12. Apparatus for boxing envelopes as set forth in claim 7 includingsecond support means positioned above said first support means forholding a box in inverted attitude above a group within said boxingstation, said second support means having support tracks with bottomledges movable into and out of holding engagement with said box, and

driving means associated with said boxing station for joining said boxwith said group to locate the envelopes within said box, said drivingmeans having a boxing plate engageable with the bottom of that boxwithin said boxing station for moving said box down over said group ofenvelopes Within said boxing station.

13. Apparatus as set forth in "claim 12 including a box magazine forstoring a supply of preformed boxes, and

second delivery means for moving said boxes from said magazine to saidsupport tracks, said second delivery means having at least one conveyorbelt operatively 1 2 related to said magazine for delivering said boxesone by one from said magazine to said support tracks Within said boxingstation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,519,154 12/1924 Mitton 533923,021,655 =2/1962 Chadima et al. 53-243 3,309,840 3/1967 Bilaisis 5324310 3,445,980 5/1969 Salomon 53-26 U.S. Cl. X.R.

